


Data, Knowledge, Wisdom (or lack thereof)

by Qem



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-09
Updated: 2012-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-29 07:24:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/317261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qem/pseuds/Qem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As individuals they don't have all the pieces.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Data, Knowledge, Wisdom (or lack thereof)

Data (or lack there of)  
Until he met Fuji, Inui believed that data was everything. Afterwards he felt that data could still provide a solution, it was just that he didn't have enough, or he didn't have the description key to read that data.

Inui has always been rather slow at grasping the difference between data, information and knowledge. Its one of his biggest weaknesses.

From his current data he finds the only other players from his school who he can't read clearly on the court is Tezuka. Inui thinks that Tezuka may be his Rosetta stone for decoding the mystery that is Fuji because unlike Fuji with his graceful counters that deny gravity, Inui feels that Tezuka's tennis is solid enough that he can almost understand - he just needs to know a little more, so he stalks and follows and writes everything down....

Until Tezuka becomes a challenge of his own. It's so frustrating when he can predict Tezuka's moves, more and more, there is logic and methodology in Tezuka's genius. But physically he can't move to keep up with them and Fuji is just as much an illusive mystery as before.

What he doesn't realise and Tezuka is far too certain of, is its more of a case of Tezuka's game is on the decline, for Inui's improvement in their matches rather than Inui has learned some secret truth to the mysteries of tennis.

The Tezuka zone remains impressive, but it is really a crutch, a move to control the game from the beginning so that he's not pushed to reveal his weakness. The weakness that is sealing more and more of his moves. There is less for Inui to read. It Tezuka is worried what that will reveal.

Inui doesn't realise this, but Fuji does.

Knowledge (or lack there of)  
Tezuka knows that Fuji knows and Inui doesn't.

That's why he always tries to assign Fuji in matches against himself, rather than Inui, since Inui is annoying when he assumes that that point is from understanding Tezuka rather than - that point was because his left arm hurts. If he is going to be pushed to his limit, he'd rather people see the truth, rather than an idea that's inside their head.

Fuji openly admits that he likes taking things a part. But he prefers to do it in carefully crafted, precise moves. He doesn't like smashing them to pieces so that they can't be put back together again.

He doesn't see why he should rise himself to the challenge. He knows the truth and so does Tezuka, and that's enough to keep his eyes shut and his voice filled with glee.

Tezuka still finds it frightening that Fuji who takes not data and prefers to watch the world with heavily lidded, half-closed eyes, is the one that sees the truth, and not Inui who misses what happens because he's so desperate to catch it. Tezuka doesn't know how this going to go on in the future. His team is fragmented and centralizes around him. There isn't a pillar he can pin his hopes and future responsibility to.

That doesn't mean Tezuka understands Fuji, just that he knows that Fuji is a dangerous individual.

Wisdom (or lack there of)

Fuji likes that. He doesn't like being understood, he resents the way that Inui is so dead-set that data will provide the answers. Fuji doesn't like being thought of as predictable, boring, forgettable. Fuji wants to experience the world, try new things and have fun. Fuji thinks that sometimes there are no answers, sometimes its just a matter of luck. Since you don't know what the future might bring, you might as well enjoy life while you can.

That's why Fuji smiles and laughs at Inui as he prepares his complicated foul concoctions, rather than with him. It's why he keeps Tezuka's secrets as he understands not wanting to hold back, not wanting others to hold back and treat you with consideration. The team is more interesting with Tezuka a part of it.

That's why his eyes narrowed in anger when Inui told him that according to his data if he didn't torment his little brother quite so much, he might not have run away.

Fuji knows. But he can't help it. What does an outsider like Inui know? Someone who can't even understand what's going on right before him. Someone who is supposedly so smart, but so oh so blind.

Fuji wants to rip into Inui with biting words, watch his face fall, see how his data takes that. But he stops and he looks. He sees not the tall data-collector, but another boy who looks, but does not see. Who's expecting a reaction, but does not understand why.

So Fuji smiles and swears quiet revenge, and when a first year is invited to try out for the team, and he will be playing against Inui, he feels a tingle from the winds of change, and he smiles, because maybe now, Inui will see past the data.


End file.
